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Anne Mieke Eggenkamp Leaves Design Academy Eindhoven

Marking the end of a turbulent summer at the Design Academy Eindhoven, Anne Mieke Eggenkamp has resigned as Chairwoman of the Executive Board.

By
Editor Design.nl
/asdf 30-08-2012

Anne Mieke Eggenkamp has stepped down as Chairwoman of the Executive Board of the Design Academy Eindhoven.

Officially she’ll continue until 1 January 2013, but her most important tasks will be taken over for the time being by Ton Wagemakers, member of the Board of Trustees, which supervises the Executive Board. Wagemakers will be responsible for the execution of educational policies. He was appointed last July to assist the Executive Board with the renewal of the Design Academy.

The three department heads of the Master’s Programmes - Jan Boelen, Louise Schouwenberg and Joost Grootens – resigned at the beginning of July dissatisfied with educational policies. Their dramatic departure stirred a lot of reactions that almost unanimously challenged Eggenkamps artistic viewpoints. On July 21 the department heads were asked to return and they agreed.

On the DAE website it is stated that Ms Eggenkamp’s decision is in the best interest of the Academy and the students. “Design Academy Eindhoven and the Board of Trustees greatly admire the way in which Ms Eggenkamp has accepted her responsibility towards the Academy in taking this step,” it says.

Since Li Edelkoort’s resignation in 2008, the problem at the academy has been the absence of a visionary artistic director. It will be interesting to see how this void can be filled given the changing educational environment.